Jose Luis Castillo has belittled Ricky Hatton's unbeaten record and vowed to bring it to an end when the pair meet on June 23 to contest the IBO light-welterweight title.
The 'Hitman' has an impressive 42-0 record but Castillo insists he is not intimidated by the numbers and believes the 28-year-old Mancunian has not faced enough big names.
An ageing Kostya Tszyu, who Hatton beat in 11 rounds in front of a hometown crowd two years ago, remains his biggest scalp - and Mexican legend Castillo has vowed he will not to be added to that list at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas.
"I don't think for one minute Ricky Hatton's record bears any comparison with mine. He fought Tszyu when Kostya was on the way down and even then Ricky had home advantage," he said.
"I have fought and beaten some of the best fighters in the world whereas Hatton hasn't got names like Diego Corrales, Floyd Mayweather or Joel Casamayor on his record.
"He is 42-0 but things like unbeaten records can be very misleading. I am not bothered about his unbeaten record. It will end on June 23."
Nevertheless, Castillo conceded that Hatton was a tough proposition and has trained harder than ever before for the bout.
"Hatton is a good, strong fighter, but I am going to knock him out and I am then going to get my revenge on Mayweather.
"I started in the gym 12 weeks ago and I have never worked this hard for any fight. It will be the best Jose Luis Castillo the world has ever seen.
"I cannot wait. It is like a new beginning for me. My last fight (against Herman Ngoudjo) was just a warm-up. This is the real thing," he added.
"I need the motivation of facing someone like Hatton to get the best out of me. I have been in a lot of big wars and I need the best opponents to make me fight at my best. When I lost to Diego Corrales the first time, I regrouped and beat him easily when we met again.
"But those fights showed I have the heart of a lion and that will come to the fore again on June 23. Hatton will have never seen anything like me."
Castillo said: "I have best upper cut in the division and I will use it against Hatton. Ricky is used to slow, cumbersome fighters, but I have real hand speed and that will cut him down.
"Hatton is there to be beaten and I know I am going to be the first boxer to do it. My trainer told me he has never seen me any better in the sparring I have done. That is a warning to Hatton and he should know that on June 23 it will be a war.
"I am going to win that war."
So can we get this straight.....
Is Castillo over the hill or not....
Saying that..
I think Hatton is a couple of years past his prime....
He's really gone down hill since the Tsyzu fight...
If Castillo can't beat Fatty Hatton...well....he really is crap...
And if Hatton wins.....
Just think how good he used to be.....Still winning and not in his prime..
Think of the southpaws he fought..and they still couldn't beat and under prepared fatty..
The above may sound like bollox ..but its this crap I have to read everyday on this forum..from certain people..ref their favourite fighters..
I think Castillo has it in him to pull this win over Hatton. He knows this is it for him if he losses. I agree with you on Hatton's body attack on Castillo.
Castillo is talking like he is in his prime. I dont want talk that Castillo is past it because of a few below par performances. Great fighters prepare properly for the right fighters.
castillo can run his mouth all he wants, as soon as hatton lands his first body shot, castillo wont be saying shit but some prayers to stay on his feet.
You got it twisted! Castillo is P4P one of the best Body punchers, so it's going to be hatton doing the praying on his knees.:boxing:
Castillo isn't going to go down from one body shot. He took hundreds from Corrales and came through it.
Hatton's body attack is brutal but Castillo isn't going to fold dramatically from it, because he will be fighting back.
Hard.
castillo can run his mouth all he wants, as soon as hatton lands his first body shot, castillo wont be saying shit but some prayers to stay on his feet.
Finally some word from Castillo. I have been waiting to hear from him. I will be there live for the fight.
I admit some Hatton haters are going overboard, but it is the plain truth in my mind that if Hatton wins a close fight, it will probably be the case that Castillo would have won a few years ago. There's no denying the wear that Castillo has on his body after such a long career.
So here we go again...
You think Castillo can win even though he is over the hill,...
And if he does....Well HAtton must be really shit...
........but if Hatton wins, then Castillo would have won in a year or two ago...and the fight means / proves nothing...
Win Win situation for Castillo fans / Hatton haters again...
What a fucking surprise...
Same old bollocks.....Boring..
Yeah mate it's the same old shite innit, Hattons damned if he does and damned if he don't.
Hatton haters would say the same kinda shit if Hatton KO'd Mayweather in 1 round haha its laughable how they go on.
tredh
So here we go again...
You think Castillo can win even though he is over the hill,...
And if he does....Well HAtton must be really shit...
........but if Hatton wins, then Castillo would have won in a year or two ago...and the fight means / proves nothing...
Win Win situation for Castillo fans / Hatton haters again...
What a fucking surprise...
Same old bollocks.....Boring..
I don't believe in any of that "best shape of my life" talk from 98% of athletes. But I do think he can beat Hatton even though neither one impresses me. Castillo may have been in to many wars and even if he wins I don't think hes got what it takes to give PBF another tough fight because with a healthy PBF he did nothing. The only reason I think Hatton can win is because Castillo has been in too many wars and his best days are behind him but if this was a prime Castillo this fight wouldn't have even gotten made.